In the March 2023 issue of Science Immunology, researchers working at the City of Hope National Medical Center reported on the discovery the mechanisms by which the spliced X-box–binding protein 1 (XBP1s) served essential functions in the IL-15-dependent survival of natural killer (NK) cells. Since XBP1s is known to play critical roles in MHCII expression, the unfolded protein stress response, and ultimately tumorigenesis, the study provided deep insights into the understanding of NK cell biology with translational potential.
IOA-244 is a selective phosphoinositide 3-kinase delta (PIK3δ) inhibitor that is being tested in the clinic for lymphoma and solid tumors. Researchers from Ionctura SA and their collaborators tested IOA-244’s antiproliferative activity in MTT assays at 72 h.
Hengrui Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd. licensed its EZH2 inhibitor, SHR-2554, to Treeline Biosciences Inc. in a deal worth more than $700 million. Treeline will be granted worldwide exclusive rights to the lymphoma drug, except for greater China, in exchange for an up-front payment of $11 million, development milestone payments of up to $45 million, and milestone payments of up to $650 million based on annual net sales once commercialization begins.
C4x Discovery Holdings plc has advanced its MALT-1 inhibitor program into the preclinical candidate selection phase. Inhibition of MALT-1 has potential therapeutic applicability as a monotherapy for MALT-1-driven cancers and in combination with BTK inhibitors across multiple hematological indications, as well as broader potential in solid tumors and inflammation.
Oncoprotein Myc is known to be dysregulated in about 70% of cancers, and it is highly expressed in leukemias and lymphomas. Targeting Myc has not been successful and is still an unmet clinical need for cancer patients.
Researchers from Salarius Pharmaceuticals Inc. have presented preclinical data on SP-3164, a novel cereblon (CRBN)-binding protein degrader intended for the treatment of lymphoma. SP-3164 bound to cereblon and consequently induced the degradation of hematological transcription factors Ikaros and Aiolos. The aim of their studies was to investigate the drug’s antitumor efficacy in preclinical models of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL).
Treatment with anti-CD19 bispecific T-cell engager and CAR T therapies can lead to T-cell exhaustion and treatment failure. Novartis AG’s first-in-class anti-CD19, anti-CD3 and anti-CD2 IgG-like trispecific antibody PIT-565, which engages CD19+ on tumor cells, and CD3 (TCR signaling component) and CD2 (a costimulatory receptor) on T cells simultaneously to redirect T-cell cytotoxicity toward CD19-positive malignant B cells, has been designed to avoid T-cell exhaustion.
